Method for working standard steel billets



LE ROY LAYTON METHODFOR WORKING STANDARD STEEL BILLETS Oct. 13, 1936.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 15, 1934 VIN Oct 13,l 1936. LE ROY LAYToN l METHOD FR WORKING STANDARD STEEL BILLETS Filed Feb. l5, 1934 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 NN l QN @M NN/ a.

@ct 13, 1936. E ROY LAYTON 2,057,580

METHOD FOR WORKING STANDARD STEEL BILLETS Patented 9ct. 13, 1936 f j; IED

ATENT OFFICE mTHOD FOR WORKING STANDARD STEEL BILLETS Application February 15, 1934, Serial No. 111,440

standard square billet to a definite predetermined size, thereby eiecting a change in the billet from the rectangular to a more or less rounded, circular, or octagonal cross section suitable for entrance into a denitely sized and contoured fixed mouth opening of a forging die, wherebythe length of the billet and the depth of the die may o be materially reduced for a given product below the length of billet and depth of die necessary to produce the same product with a fullsquare billet having diagonal measurements capable of entering the same sized mouth opening of the die.

The present invention obviates the necessity for a forge shop to purchase double conversion steel, of the above noted cross sectional shapes, in order to use the shallower die, thereby effecting a substantial monetary saving to the manufacturer in view of the cost of double conversion steel being materially greater than the cost of rough single conversion billets, as it is necessary, in producing the above noted shapes.

- to subject the rough standard billet to a second heating Ain order to change the standard square shape thereof to the cross section desired.

In the second conversion of the steel from the rough billet to the desired shape extreme care is take'n to reduce the billet to accurate dimen- Asions in the shape ordered. In cases where the shape is to be used for subsequent forging purposes such accuracy is unessential and in fact is lost when the shape is reheated prior to its lbe- 1 ing placed in the forging die. In forging, the only dimensions of consequence are the cross sectional measurement across the extremities of the shape, thus the additional cost attending the use of the double conversion stock is unwarranted when the steel is to be used for forging PUIPOSBS- y Furthermore, under the current steel code, billets under the 4" size are rated as bar stock and its costvto the forge shop rates substantially equivalent to' that of4 second olllliildtlll'V $661.

(Cl. Ztl-160.4)

Thus, a manufacturer of forged shapes requiring the use of a billet less than a 4 standard is required to pay such a high price for his forging stock that he is unable to compete with the larger mills which work the steel through from ingot to forging.

By the present invention the smaller manufacturer of forged products may purchase the cheaper 4 standard billet stock; break the stock into predetermined lengths'suitable for the desired forged product; heat the billet for forging; and, under this same heat, prior and preparatory to the dropping of the heated billet into the forging die, he may reduce the diagonal measurements of the standard 4" billet and thereby preshape the billet to a size and form which will conveniently t into a die having a mouth opening of such a small size that it ordinarily could not take or accommodate a standard 4" billet.

V'Ihe only limitations in this respect is that the area-of the mouth opening of the die, in squarev inches, be slightly greater than the number of square inches in the cross sectional area of the standard 4" billet.

The above comparisons are given as an example to illustrate one extremely valuable application of the method forming the subject matter of the present case, and from the above, and from the following description, it will be obvious to one familiar with the art that the method is equally applicable to billets or stock of sizes larger and smaller than the 4 standard size to be used with dies having mouth openings of the same general relatively proportioned sizes as noted above.

The method forming the subject matter of the present invention and the construction and operation of pne form of apparatus by which the method may be utilized will be fully disclosed hereinafter, reference being had to the accompanyns drawings; of which:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic side elevation, partly in section, illustrating the passage of a billet from the heating furnace through the preshaping apparatus and into the forging die iny a single heat, in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 2 2, Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the die showing the preshaped billet therein; Y

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view of the preshaping apparatus and the mechanism for passing the heated billet therethrough on its way to the. die;

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional elevation taken ony the line 5-5, Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional elevation of the die with the preshaping apparatus dispcsedabove and in axial alignment therewith;

Fig. 7 diagrammatically illustrates theV preshaping apparatus aligned with the nal pass in the rolls of a standard billet single conversion rolling mill; and

Fig. 8 is a sectional elevation taken on the line 8 8, Fig. 7.

As shown in Fig. 1, a billet B of predetermined length, after having been heated to the desired temperature in a suitable furnace A, passes from the furnace along a roller table 2, in which is a step 3 dropping from the plane thereof to the plane of a second and lower roller table 4.

The billet, inpassing from the table 2 to the table 4, drops in front of the tread of the step 3 into the path of a ram 5, in the present instance, which advances the billet B along the table vIl into a mouth 6 formed at one end of a throat 'I which guides the heated billet B to and between two pairs of diametrically opposed preshaping rollers III, III of a preshaping or converting de- Vice C.

The rollers I0, I0 are set in planes at 90 apart tion in line with and adapted to engage one of the relatively sharp right-angular corners b, b of the billet B, whereby, as the heated billet is passed through the converter C, between said rollers, the `sharp corners b are press radially inwardly and flattened or rounded as desired,

Aas indicated at b1, the at sides b2, b2 of the billet,` at the same time, being bulged outwardly, as indicated at b3, which reduces the diagonal dimensions :n (see Fig. 2) of the billet suflciently to permit the heated billet to drop freely into the mouth opening d of a forging die D.

In the present instance, the mouth opening d is circular in contour andof a diameter less than the diagonal measurement across the full-square corners b, b of the billet B, prior to its passage through the preshaping or converting apparatus C,` which made the billet B unsuitable for use in a die of the size disclosed. However, by pressing the corners of the billet.` inwardly and by bulging the sides of the billet outwardly the billet is preshaped to a form and size capable of conveniently tting into themouth opening d of the die D as the preshaped billet passes along a roller table 8 from the converting or preshaping apparatus C to the die D.

Incidently to the preshaping of the billet, in the manner above' noted, the compression of the corners and the expansionl of the sides of the billet B automatically removes the scale from the billet preparatory to its passing Ainto the die. Heretofore it has been necessary to manually scale abillet as it is passed from the heating furnace A to the dieD. Thus the present in- Vention in addition to the advantages afforded thereby and'recited above effects the additional advantage of automatically scaling the billet.

After the billet is dropped into the die-D it is squeezed in the usual manner by a pressing' tool I I to compress the billet in the die to fill the lower end thereof and to prepare the billet for reception of the piercing tool I2, by which an axial cavity is formed in the billet and the 'heated metal is forced into contact with the inner wall of thedie D up and around the piercing tool I2,

manner above noted, it is preferable to push the billet through the converter, and for this reason the ram 5 in the present case is connected to a ram plunger I5. 'I'he ram plunger I5 is slidably mounted for axial movement in a hydraulic cylinder I6 which is supplied from any suitable source, such for example as the accumulator of the press which actuates the tools II and I 2.`

, 'I'he cylinder I6, in the present instance, is provided with laterally extending lugs, or a ange, I1 rigidly connected, by anchor rods I8, I8, with the head 20, of the converter C, in which the preshaping rolls IIJ, I0' are freely rotatabhr mounted.

As shown in Fig. 5, each of the preshaping rolls I0 is provided with trunnions 2l, 2I respectively,` which are freely rotatably mounted in bearings 22, 22 slidablyv mounted in guideways 23, 23

'formed in the head 20, said bearings being maintained in said head against longitudinal movement, von one side, by the flange 24 of the guide throat 'I which is secured firmly against one side of the head by shoulders on the anchor bolts I8; and against movement in the opposite direction by a plate 24a secured to the head 20 by the nuts I9 which secure the anchor bolts I8 to the said head 2|) of the converter C.

Radial adjustment of the rolls I0, for the purpose of reducing the corners of the billet to a greater or less extent as desired, may be accomplished in any suitable manner and. for this purpose, in'the present instance, behind each of the bearings 22 is placed a removable filler block 25. Obviously, by placing thicker or thinner ller blocks behind the bearings 22 relative radial adjustment of the rolls Il) may be accomplished.

Secured to the ram plunger I5, and slidably mounted on the anchor bolts I8, is a transversely extending head-plate 26 in which is secured a pair of ram-return cylinders 2'I, 21. The cylinders 21 respectively receive a pair of hollow return plungers 28, 28 each having one end xed in a lug 29 formed on and extending laterally from the converter head 20 and supplied with motive fluid from a, suitable source, such as the accumulator of the press, through suitably valved piles 30, 30.

Obviously, pressure applied to one end of the cylinder I6 through the pipe I4 will effect longitudinal movement of the plunger I5 and ram 5 to force the billet B through the guide throat. 1

and between the preshaping rolls III, III, whereupon, by opening the pipe Il to exhaust and by applying pressure to the cylinders 21, through the pipes 30 and fixed plungers 28, the ram 5 and the ram plunger I5 will be returned to a position for receivingranother billet. I

In Fig. 6, the converter C1 is shown as being disposed above and in axial augment with a. die D1, said converter being slidably mounted on a suitable guide and support 3J/for movement into and out of alignment with the die D1. 'I'he billet in this instance is conveyed from the furnace to the die in any suitable manner and passed endwlse into the guide throat 1a through which and between the rolls I0, I0 the billet is forced by a 75 vertically operable ram 32. The ram 32 may be carried by the cross head oi' the press in which the tools II and I2 are mounted.

' After the billet B1 has been forced through the converter C1 into the die D1 by the ram 32 said ram is retracted and the converter C1 moved out of alignment with the die D1 along the supporting guide 3|, whereupon, the cross head of the press is moved laterally to move the ram 32 out of alignment with the die D1 and to move the piercing tool Il into alignment with the die D1, after which the forging of the billet is carried on in the usual manner.

In the foregoing the preshaping of the billet for entrance into the die for forging has been disclosed as being performed in the forging heat, that is, during the passage of the billet from the furnace A to the die D, which constitutes a heating for a major operation in connection with the forming of a billet into a forging. It is quite possible to perform this preshaping operation during the heat in which the major operation of reducing the billet from the ingot is performed and for this purpose Figs. 7 and 8 illustrate the preshaping or converting apparatus C2 as being mounted in alignment with the final pass 35 through which the billet is passed in the rolling mill in reducing an ingot to a billet, such pass being formed as usual in a pair of rolls 36, 36 which are rotatably mounted in the mill frames 31 and 38 and driven from any suitable source in the usual manner.

As a matter of lconvenience and in order to keep the preshaping head out of the way during movement of the steel back and forth through the various passes of the ingot reducing rolls during the process of reducing the ingot to the billet, the converting head C2 may be mounted in front of the rolls 36, 36 in any suitable manner which will permit the said head to be moved into an inoperative position relative to the roll passes during the working of the billet into its final form and subsequently into an operating position, in line with the last pass of the billet rolls, in order that the finished billet, in its final passage from the rolls 36, 36 will enter the converting head C2 and be engaged by the preshaping rolls I0, I0.

While the head C2 may be pivotally mounted for swinging movement about either a vertical or horizontal axis to move it out of the way, in the present instance the head C2 is shown as being sl-idably mounted on a. pair of guide rails 39, 39 extending from and between and secured at their opposite ends to the roll frames 31 and 38. For the purpose of moving the converter head C2 on the rails 39, 39 a cylinder 40, in the present instance, is secured to one of the frames, for example the frame 38. Slidably mounted in the cylinder 40 is a suitable piston having a rod 4| passing out of one end of the cylinder and operatively connected in any suitable manner to the converter head C2, fluid pressure being supplied to and exhausted from the opposite ends of the cylinder 40 by suitable pipes 42 and 43 respectively.

I claim:

1. The method of working a flat sided billet for the purpose described which consists in simultaneously compressing the corner extremities of the billet radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the billet between the major operation -of completing the billet in the last roll pass of a rolling mill and a major operation of transforming the billet into a forged product wherein the reduction of said corner extremities is effected in the single heat in which one of said major operations is performed.

2. The method of working a flat sided billet for the purpose described which consists in simultaneously compressing the corner extremities and expanding the intermediate flat sides of the billet radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the billet between the major operation of completing the billet in the last roll pass of a rolling mill and a major operation of transforming the billet into a forged product wherein the reduction of said corner extremities and the expansion of said sides is effected in the single heat in which one of said major operations is performed.

3. 'I'he method of working a standard square billet for the purpose described which consists in simultaneously compressing the corner extremities of the billet radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the billet between the major operation of completing the billet in the last roll pass of a rolling mill and a major operation of transforming the billet into a. forged product wherein the reduction of said-corner extremities is effected in the single heat in which one of said major operations is performed.

4. The method of working a standard square billet for the purpose described which consists in simultaneously compressing the corner extremities and expanding the intermediate flat sides of the billet radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the billet between the major operation of completing the billet in the last roll pass of a rolling mill and a major operation of transforming the billet into a forged product wherein the reduction of said corner extremities and the expension of said sides is effected in the single heat in which one of said major operations is performed.

5. The method which consists in heating a rectangular billet for press-die forging and in the forging heat simultaneously compressing the corner extremities and bulging the intermediate sides of the billet radially to the longitudinal axis thereof preparatory to and immediately preceding the placing of the billet in the die, and press-die forging said prepared billet into ultimate shape before cooling.

6. The method which consists in heating a. rectangular billet for die forging and in the forging heat simultaneously compressing the corner r extremities and bulging the intermediate sides of the billet radially to the longitudinal axis of the billet to preshape and scale the billet preparatory to its entrance into the die.

7. The method which consists i`n `heating a standard square billet for forging in a substantially circular die of less diameter than the diagonal measurements of the billet and simultaneously compressing the corners and expanding the intermediate sides of the billet radially to size and scale the billet preparatory to placing the billet in the die.

8. The method which consists in heating a standard square billet for press-forging in a sub- Istantially circular die of less diameter than the diagonal measurements of the billet and in the forging heat and immediately preceding the entrance of the billet into the die simultaneously compressing the corner extremities and bulging the intermediate sides of the billet sufciently for the billet to enter the die, and press-die forging said prepared billet into ultimate shape before cooling.

LE ROY LAYTON. 

